Nemo joined my family yesterday and is going to become an apartment cat. This is his journey into a new life

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Nemo and little Miss Lacey Lady

It's been awhile since I updated and a lot has happened in the mean time. Nemo was alone alot during the day and would fly around here when we got home at night and to me he just seemed very lonely. I have been wanting a lap dog for a very long time and thought I would start looking for a puppy and get one when I got back from my visit to Quebec in the middle of July. I was prepared to pay for a purebred puppy and after reading about the toy breeds thought maybe a Papillion would be good. There were a few concerns as I was planning on taking the puppy to work each day and we have eagles at work so I didn't want a teeny tiny puppy. Also it needed to be able to get around at work and get along with Jude's dog who also comes to work each day. Lily is a miniature schnauzer and is very sweet.

I started to check out breeders and search for a puppy. I wanted a female as I prefer female dogs and male cats. The few I found only had male puppy's and were very expensive but I wasn't in a rush so thought I would just keep looking. Well then I went to the swap meet and there at the gate was a man and his daughter with a litter of purebred Shih Tzu puppies, 10 weeks old and adorable! They had their first shots and vet checked and were ready to go and I just couldn't resist. Jude is going to babysit the week I'm away. Her name is Lacey and her birthday is March the 12th so she is 2 weeks younger than Nemo.

I brought her home and put her down and she walked over to Nemo and looked at him. Nemo did not look impressed! Back went the ears and the tail fluffed up like a bottle brush. The puppy just sat and looked at him and then got up and wandered a few feet a way and layed down. It was a good beginning I think with the puppy being calm and quiet. Nemo stalked it for hours and was so interested. Eventually they were chasing each other around the apartment and then collapsing into a heap to sleep and then off and running again.

At this point the balcony became a definite problem because the puppy can fit right between the bars so I bought some 2' x 8' pieces of trellis and ran it along the inside of the balcony and it was perfect for both of them. On the nice days I just open the door and then run in and out and play and I don't have to worry about them sliding through the rails in their exuberance and chasing each other.

So I know I said that Nemo was lonely and needed company but it still works out because she gets quiet time during the day and when we get home at night the puppy's feet are running even before I put her down and she is racing off to meet Nemo who is racing towards the door when I open it. They collide into a ball of fur and love each other. The game is on as soon as they see each other and they run and play. They share each other's food bowls and Lacey will only eat the Special Kitty in the pouch as her wet food. They both have dry kitten and puppy food as well and they both each both and the fancy strikes them. They share the toys and sleep on the bed with me at night together.

Lynnie gave Nemo a feather toy on a wand and Nemo didn't like the feather but she loves the wand. So I would hold the feather and drag the wand around and she chased it all over the apartment. Well Lacey loves the feather and drags it all over so of course Nemo chases the wand! She also gave Nemo a kitty tent. They both love it and both get in there and that tent just rocks around. They wrestle and roll and bite each other. When it gets too rough I separate them and they fight to get back at each other. They will be great pals for life now and that makes me happy. I have laughed more in the last few weeks at their antics than I have in a long time.

The aquarium is fine too. We have kept adding a few fish each week and have it pretty well complete now. We got a couple more platy's, an algea eater, a cat fish and 3 neon tetra's. I got a few live plants and they arrived with some mystery snails that have hatched and are crawling around. So far so good. I asked at the pet store and she said if they got to be too many I should just take some out so we'll see how it goes.Lacey has a bed at work, one in the car and one at home and she loves them and uses them but at work she loves to lie between my feet and so between the rollers of my chair and I am always afraid I am going to roll over her. Jude came up with a plan and rigged it up and she now rides in style and is happy as can be. She gets herself in and out and spends a good part of each day there.

So that's my news for now. A happy Nemo, a happy Lacey and a very happy Mom.